Extended presence for video conferencing systems

Abstract

Systems and methods of providing extended presence information for multi-user devices are described. Communication devices used in conference rooms represent a different nature than single user devices such as a personal computer. Conference rooms also have attributes that may be added to existing presence information and provide an enhanced experience for scheduling and dissemination of conference room capabilities. Information such as actual people in attendance may be added to the presence information maintained by a presence server to provide an overall enhancement to the meeting room whether it is physically a single conference room or a multitude of endpoints remotely connected to a conference.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein obtained extended presence information comprises information about facilities including maximum occupancy of a conference room. 
 
     
     
       2. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conference room and the extended presence information contains an indication of the conference room's ability to provide scheduling information. 
 
     
     
       3. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity diffterent from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conference room and the extended presence information contains an indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room. 
 
     
     
       4. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conferencing system and the extended presence information contains an indication of number of displays associated with the conferencing system. 
 
     
     
       5. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conferencing system with at least one camera and the extended presence information contains an indication of resolution of the camera. 
 
     
     
       6. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conferencing system with at least one display and the extended presence information contains an indication of resolution of the display. 
 
     
     
       7. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities, 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conferencing system with at least one display and the extended presence information contains an indication of size of the display. 
 
     
     
       8. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conference room and the extended presence information contains an indication of the conference room video specifications. 
 
     
     
       9. A method executed by a presence server of processing extended presence information associated with one or more conference entities facilitating a conference, the method comprising:
 obtaining extended presence information about a plurality of conferencing entities including a first conferencing entity, each of the plurality of conferencing entities facilitating a conference, the plurality of conferencing entities representing conferencing devices or physical facilities; 
 correlating the extended presence information in a presence server; 
 monitoring for changes to the extended presence information; and 
 transmitting at least a portion of the changed extended presence information to a conferencing entity selected from the plurality of conferencing entities, the selected conferencing entity different from the first conferencing entity; 
 wherein the first conferencing entity comprises a conference room and the extended presence information contains an indication of the conference room audio specifications. 
 
     
     
       10. A conference communication end user device comprising:
 a programmable control device; 
 wherein the programmable control device is configured to:
 obtain extended presence information about operational capacity of the communication device; 
 transmit at least a portion of the extended presence information to a presence server; 
 monitor for changes in the obtained presence information relative to the communication device; and 
 transmit at least a portion of the changes in the obtained presence information to the presence server; 
 wherein the programmable control device is further configured to further extend the presence information, if the communication end user device is a multi-user device, with one or more properties pertaining to a plurality of users using the multi-user device. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The conference communication end user device of  claim 10 , wherein the programmable control device is further configured to advertise the capabilities of the communication device in XEP 0115 extensions to XMPP. 
     
     
       12. The conference communication end user device of  claim 10 , wherein the programmable control device is further configured to advertise a lack of capability of the communication device in XEP 0115 extensions to XMPP. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein the extended presence information contains an indication of the conference room's ability to provide scheduling information. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  wherein the extended presence information contains an indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of number of displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of resolution of a camera associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of resolution of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of size of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 14  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of the conference room video specifications. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 14  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of the conference room audio specifications. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 2  wherein the extended presence information contains an indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of number of displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of resolution of a camera associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 21  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of resolution of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 21  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of size of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 21  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of the conference room video specifications. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 21  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of the conference room audio specifications. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 3  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of number of displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 3  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of resolution of a camera associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 3  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of resolution of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 3  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of size of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 3  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of the conference room video specifications. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 3  wherein the indication of conferencing equipment devices in the conference room includes an indication of the conference room audio specifications. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 4  wherein the extended presence information further contains an indication of resolution of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the extended presence information further contains an indication of size of one or more displays associated with a conferencing system.